Ocean, nature, critters, and recreation

Jul 10, 2012

Cape Cod kayaker may have been followed by basking shark

First-time kayaker Walter Szulc Jr. made the national news this week for appearing in a photo showing him staring back at the dorsal fin of a large shark.

It was widely reported to have been a great white, following directly behind Szulc. But on Tuesday an expert said that, after studying the image, the fin more likely belonged to a plankton-eating basking shark.

This is a time of year when great whites are off the Cape Cod area to feed on pinnipeds.

But basking sharks, which are found in Arctic and temperate waters around the world, also range from Newfoundland to Florida along the East Coast.

They're the world's second largest fish behind whale sharks and measure up to 40 feet long. They will often swim slowly along the surface, close to shore, with their enormous mouths agape. As plankton-eaters they're docile and considered no threat to swimmers.

Regardless of what type of shark it may have been, Shelly Negrotti's image (atop this post) is worth 1,000 words and then some.

That is absolutely laughable- not only in its own sociobiological right (i.e., Basking sharks avoid people entirely; White sharks are investigatory towards humans) but that the observed behavior closely coincides with a White shark investigating a potential ancillary opportunity, e.g., most likely, White sharks associate these kayaks with fishing boats and are looking to usurp an opportunity off the line or a weakened and tired, discarded catch.

But a Basking shark?

My god, do you people think the larger public is that stupid... as you purport to condition them at every turn to think actual fear of an actual threat was, "upon closer inspection", something other than it was. Here, a pursuit. Most often, after a predatory event. Is it really even worth considering here? Absolutely not. It is (once again) more like Southern Fried Bunk Science.

Just as Alligators in Florida have always been known to prey on people (see, e.g., recent amputation), so too, have White sharks ALWAYS been know to not only attack small boats, but eat the humans that operate them.

The irony is that the misinformation comes from the sources trying to save the sharks at any cost- even proffering credible scientific theory.

(sigh.)

Do your duty as a Scientist to be objective, and leave the rest to the gods.